Putting one foot in front of another
by Braque of Frailty
Summary: Draco must learn how to put one foot in front of another in the wake of his wife's untimely death. He has to find the will to continue to live not only for their son; but for himself also. He is blessed that he has a loving family whom support him in this time. Not just his son; Scorpius. But surprising through Harry; whom had married his sister-in-law; Daphne.
1. Prologue

**Title: **_Putting one foot in front of another_

**Summary: **_Draco must learn how to put one foot in front of another in the wake of his wife's untimely death. He has to find the will to continue to live not only for their son; but for himself also. He is blessed that he has a loving family whom support him in this time. Not just his son; Scorpius. But surprising through Harry; whom had married his sister-in-law; Daphne. With Harry's friendship and family relations also comes Ron and Hermione; the whole Weasley clan._

**Rating: **T

**Categories: **_Family/Tragedy/Spiritual/Hurt/Comfort/Romance/Drama/Friendship/Suspense/Angst/Humor/Mystery_

**Notes: **_Scorpius and Albus are cousins; but they are as close as brothers. They both got sorted into Slytherin; while both James and Lily are sorted into Gryffindor. _

**Prologue **

Harry rested his head on his wife's bare shoulder. He nuzzled into her neck as he just held her as she sobbed heartbreaking sobs. He had awaken to find his wife trying to sob silently. He had moved over the few inches that were needed to wrap his arms around her shaking body; and pulled her against his bare chest. Tears sparkled yet to be shed in his eyes as he pulled away an inch from her neck.

"I'm sorry that I awoke you." Daphne husked out between sobs.

"You needed me Daph." He brushed aside some of her sweaty hair from her face. "My soul couldn't be away from you."

Daphne turned around so she could face her beloved husband. Her right hand rose to gently stoke his right cheek bone. "I love you." She whispered. Her teary eyes staring into his wet ones. She watched as the tears finally feel onto his cheeks.

Harry rested his forehead against his wife's. "I'm sorry that I can't make this better for you." He managed to get out.

"I just can't believe that she's gone. That Astoria isn't going to be …." Daphne couldn't finish. She broke completely down. She felt Harry pulling her in to his chest; and she wept as she rested her left ear against his chest; just listening to his heart beat. Praying that her sister's heart was_ still_ beating …. that her sister's heart wasn't still for all time.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Draco stared out into the wet night. His forehead resting against the cool wet glass of the bay window of the living room. His chest was in a painful clench. Had been since the first moment that the Healer had told them that Astoria had in fact inherited from the blood curse from an ancestor. He recalled her telling him that she was very likely to have inherited this blood curse when he had just gotten ready to profess his love for her. She wanted him to know that she wasn't destined to live an long life. That she was giving him an out. That he had every right to no longer want to see or; or be seen with her. That she didn't blame him for walking away from her.

"_Marry me." Tears rolled down his cheeks as he held out the ring towards her._

"_Didn't you just hear what I told you Draco?" Worry was in her eyes as she kept her eyes searching his own. _

"_Marry me." He repeated with a smile. _

"_I can't do that to you Draco." She reached up to trace his jaw line. "I can't hurt you like that."_

"_Astoria the only way you can hurt me is by not returning my love for you." Draco's hand with the ring remained strong. "What you just said proves to me that you do love me. That you care for me. That you want what is best for me." _

"_How is my dying on you best for you?" Astoria backed away anger laced her face. Her arms folded tightly across her chest. "How is mourning me best for you!" _

"_How is living my life without you in it best for me?" Draco smiled. "How is not having your love for how ever long we have on this planet earth best for me?" He stepped forward once more. "Don't you see Astoria that it truly doesn't matter how much actual living time you have with your soulmate …. what matters is that once you are sure that you have met your soulmate …. then you will make damn sure that they remain at your side for how long God has for us to remain on the planet earth." He tearfully smiled. "Marry me." _

"_I can't." She whispered tears falling freely down her cheeks. _

_He moved forward and rested the palm of his right hand against her face. "Don't be afraid Astoria. Don't be afraid to live your life to the fullest. Don't be afraid to love your soulmate; to marry him. Don't be afraid of carrying and bearing a child." He whispered the ring still held up with a steady hand. "Live." He breathed._

_Astoria's breath hitched in her throat. What she had told Draco she never told anyone ever … not her parents, not Daphne … just him. She told him because she loved him. She told him because she loved him enough to set him free. She told him because she loved him enough not to cause him pain when she had to live him; to never return on this planet earth. She loved him. She loved him._

"_Live." He breathed once more. "Marry me." Tears rolled down his cheeks._

_She pressed into his hand. Her right hand rose to touch his with the ring. "Yes I'll marry you Draco Malfoy" she sobbed. "God help me I can't live any longer without your love."_

_He pressed his forehead against hers. "I love you." He breathed against her lips._

"_I love you." She breathed out. _

Broken sobs burst through Draco's tight chest. "I love you." He whimpered as he held himself as he thought of his beloved wife whom had been dead for the past four months now.

**End Prologue **


	2. Grieving family at Hogwarts

**Chapter One**

**Grieving family at Hogwarts**

**Hogwarts**

**Slytherin Dorm**

**Third Year Boys Room**

Albus sighed deeply as he looked over to where his cousin was sitting on the edge of his bed; his head lowered. Ever since learning about Aunt Astoria's true sickness; Scorpius had been sad. It had been like Scorpius didn't want to show that he was very much alive when his mother was fading into death. Albus fully understood where his cousin was coming from …. if his dad and mom had to go through what his Aunt had to do through … then he wouldn't want to show them that he was enjoying life …. it was tactless. But he knew that Aunt Astoria had tried to tell his cousin that it was okay to keep living … to keep wanting to live. That death isn't to be feared … it is something to look forward to. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he thought of when Aunt Astoria had said those word to the family … it was the day that she passed away. It was two hours before she passed away. His right hand lifted to wipe some tears from his cheeks.

"Don't be ashamed to cry." Scorpius husky voice spoke.

Albus with his hand just an inch away from his cheek stared into his cousin's teary eyes. His hand lowered back down onto this lap. He stood to his feet and walked over to sit next to his cousin. "I'm not ashamed to grieve." He husked out as he rested his right hand on his cousin's thigh. He gently squeezed.

Scorpius looked into his cousin's eyes; and threw himself against Albus; wrapping his arms around Albus's waist; and neck. He buried his face into the space between the collar bone and neck. He sobbed as he felt Albus tighten his hold around his waist; and back. He allowed the sobs to burst forth at the feel of of the hands giving comforting strokes on his back.

James sighed as he watched his younger brother comfort their grieving cousin. His left hand rose to run through his hair. He wasn't good at this. He wasn't good at offering comfort when it came to death. He wasn't good at it. He frowned darkly. Why wasn't he good at it? After all he lost his Aunt also. An Aunt that he loved as a second mother. Why wasn't he good with handling grief? Like his father ….. his mother …. his brother; and his sister. Why was it so hard to for him to simply grieve.

"Thank you." Scorpius soft voice spoke after a life time of silence. The only noise in the dorm were of the blonde breaking over the loss of his mother; and the slightly younger cousin just giving his strength to his grieving cousin.

James's let out the breath that he didn't know he had been holding.

Scorpius pulled away from Albus; his eyes found James. "Hey Jamie." He softly smiled at his older cousin.

"Hey Scor." James moved across the room. He knelt down in front of the two third years. He placed his hand on his cousin's right knee cap. He gently squeezed. "Lily wanted to come; but I told her that she truly needed some rest."

"How is she?" Scorpius eyes grew concerned for his youngest cousin.

"She's very worried for you." James truthfully replied. "You know how she gets whenever one of us is in pain."

"Tell her that she needs to take care of herself. It wouldn't due if she wears her out to a thin line. That this grief that I'm going through over losing Mama will pass. The raw and deep grief will pass. But I will always grieve Mama." Scorpius sighed. "But I know that my grief will just be a part of me from now on. I'm not going to allow myself to hang on to the raw and deep grief. But I will still grieve losing Mama."

James nodded. "Lily may be eleven years old; but she is wise to the ways of life." He sank down onto his knees to give his ankles some rest. "I got word from dad." He couldn't go on.

Albus right eye brow raised in question.

"He and mom have decided to move into Uncle Draco's for a while." James sighed. "They don't want to leave him alone right now."

"I bet Dad put up a small fight over that." Scorpius sighed. "Deep down he is very happy to have Uncle Harry, and Aunt Daphne with him right now. But he is feeling guilty of having them leave their own home for a long period time. After all he knows Uncle Harry is more comfortable in Evans house then our home."

"Dad knows Uncle Draco needs to remain in the home he shared with your mother." James replied. "Sides the house elves are going to take care of the house."

The three boys turn to silence. Each remembering a woman whom passed away way before her time.

**End Chapter One**


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